Happy Friday! I’m rounding up a few things I’ve been loving right now. I have a mix of things for hair, lips, nails and more I’ve had in rotation. As always I’d love to hear yours as well!
Hair Care Loves
For hair care there are four things I’ve been loving lately! I’ve still been obsessed with the Living Proof Instant De-frizzer to help smooth out the hair. It dispenses a super fine mist. I spray on dry hair and brush it through. I’ve gone through several minis of this one!
I remember back in the day when the original Kiehl’s Creme with Silk Groom was in every magazine and considered a cult classic. Did you use this in the early 2000s? Or do you still use it? I haven’t used Kiehl’s haircare in quite some time but ordered the Silk Groom Serum and the Smoothing Oil-Infused Leave-In Concentrate to try and am 100% obsessed. I’ve been using both as a pre-heat treatment before blow drying. Out of the two I prefer the Silk Groom Serum because it has a more lightweight feel. It really does help smooth hair and add shine without weighing it down.
The Smoothing Oil-Infused Leave-In Concentrate has a sweeter scent to it, it’s also a bit heavier but not too heavy. If you have super dry hair I’d recommend this one. For me I like to add it on the ends (dry).
For lips I’ve re-discovered my Bobbi Brown Crushed Oil Infused Gloss for a soft balm like oil/gloss in one. The colors are perfect for everyday, I want to order a few more shades. Colors shown New Romantic and In the Buff, but I’ve also swatched two others I have.
I just did a fun Pink and Red nail polish roundup, but the OPI Neutrals still have my heart. I feel Samoan Sand is the best everyday neutral clean polished beige that makes my hands look more put together. I also really love Pale to the Chief, Tiramsu for Two and Machu Peach-U.
For the eyes, my latest discovery is the Too Faced The Natural Nudes Eyeshadow Palette. This launched a while ago and it had been on my radar for a while. I was worried it might be too warm or glittery but it’s actually perfect. I think this may be my new favorite eyeshadow palette of the year! Let me know if you want a full review + swatches.
Current Mascara Obsession
Last but not least, I have been obsessed with the Maybelline Sky High Mascara. I’ve tried both the regular and waterproof version and like them both. It’s still pretty hard to find online but I’ve seen it restock several times at Target, Ulta and Walmart. If you haven’t tried it I highly recommend giving it a look! It’s one of the few rubber applicators that actually works for me!
What have you been loving lately? New reviews coming soon including the Pat McGrath Divine Rose Collection (spoiler alert is that it’s amazing), new Chanel and some NARS newness too.
Today I have a 10 Things I’m Loving Right Now post and I’m rounding up my top beauty favorites right now. Narrowing down the list to ten items was a bit of a challenge as there are quite a few things I have in rotation. Here is the edited version! I had a couple questions for comparisons so I’ve added some notes below.
2. MAC Powder Kiss Liquid Lip Color in Date Maker is one of the newer formulas from MAC. They made their Powder Kiss formula into Liquid Lipstick form. I bought a couple colors but Date Maker is my favorite – it has impressive lasting power, doesn’t look too dry on the lips even though it’s matte and I love the color.
3. Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath in Walk of No Shame is the latest addition to the lip plumper gloss formula from Charlotte Tilbury. It’s a pretty soft reddish tint. This formula is amazing in all the colors – it’s actually the one that gets me the most compliments and questions when I wear it on IG Stories! I swatched the new Collagen Lip Bath in Walk of No Shame next to Pillow Talk and Rosy Glow below for reference. It’s a nice plumping gloss that has minimal tingle. (Also added swatches of the new Jewel Lips glosses below which are more pigmented and have some sparkle.)
4. Summer Fridays Lip Butter Balm is worth the hype! It makes my lips soft and moisturized. I had some bad flaking and peeling going on and after using this it helped tremendously. I’m not the biggest fan of the packaging style since the tube doesn’t retain its shape when you squeeze it. But I really do like the formula.
Body Care
5. Chanel Huile Douce Gentle Oil for Hair and Body* this has been a favorite for nearly a year now (featured photo is an older one I took) and it is barely half used up because a little goes a LONG way. I love it soft fresh scent it has, it absorbs into the skin nicely, doesn’t feel too greasy or heavy. If I use it overnight on the body I wake up with baby soft skin. I haven’t used it much on the hair but love it as a body oil all over.
Some of you have asked about other body recommendations so I’ve added them in this post to leave a few notes:
Augustinus Bader Body Oil was a recent splurge and I do like it but find it a bit sticky in the finish. It is richer in formula than most oils I’ve tried and is super hydrating. It leaves a veil of moisture on the skin and makes the skin feel like it’s protected. I like that it is not scented, it didn’t irritate my skin at all, left legs and arms hydrated, but I don’t like the sticky feel. It doesn’t have a dry down or smooth feel like other oils do. It has a little hole in the top to control how much oil drips out. I think it’s good and really does hydrate, but I prefer the Chanel feel and formula.
Kate Somerville Dry Skin Saver is one of the best unscented body creams I’ve tried. I’ve used it for years and it helps on days I have irritated skin. I think it’s reasonably priced and absorbs into the skin nicely. It’s a great no fuss no gimmick kind of product that does what it says it will do. Andrew likes this one as well! (You can still use my code SABRINA20 to save 20% off at Kate Somerville until 9/30)
Necessaire Body Lotion is another great unscented option. In terms of how rich/thick it is I would say this is one of the lighter weight lotions for the body. For me that’s a huge plus as it absorbs quickly and nicely into the skin without feeling greasy or heavy. This is a nice unisex option as well. I felt this might have been one of those overhyped products as the ads are everywhere on my feed. I do think it’s worth the hype.
Bronzer
6. Gucci Eclat Soleil Bronzing Powder in Shade 3 has made my favorites list for powder bronzers. I have gotten SO many questions about this bronzer asking
do I recommend Gucci or Charlotte Tilbury? I prefer the Gucci because I like a tiny bit of shimmer and glow. The Charlotte Tilbury options (reviewed here) are matte and have a more flat matte look to them which isn’t bad, I just prefer the ones from Gucci.
Rose Blush
7. Charlotte Tilbury Cheek to Chic Blush in Walk of No Shame is one of the prettiest soft warm rose glow blushes I’ve tried! This is a newer color in her blush formula which I LOVE for the subtle glow and color (I own all the shades). Many of you have asked whether I would recommend the Charlotte Tilbury Walk of No Shame or Hourglass Blush in At Night and I think it’s a tough pick! On my complexion the Charlotte Tilbury has a warmer finish with more glow to it while the Hourglass is a little bit more flushed cool-toned and has a more dressy feel (see At Night on my face here). If I had to pick one I would pick the Charlotte Tilbury option for everyday.
New Cle de Peau Beaute
8. Cle de Peau Beaute Radiant Fluid Foundation Matte launched recently and I think it’s amazing. It’s currently available at Nordstrom and Cle de Peau. I ordered two shades O40 (more golden/beige) and BF50 (darker and more olive) to try. I tan easily and at this time of year I’m normally more tan. However with everything going on in the world we have been limiting our beach trips and with hurricane season here we’ve had a lot of wind and rain so we haven’t been out as much as we’d like. Right now O40 is a great match for me. I can make BF50 work but it’s very olive and is a little too dark on me.
Formula is one of the best soft matte foundations I’ve tried. It has medium to full coverage, has minimal oxidizing when it sets/dries down, lasts all day, doesn’t look dry or cakey. I think it’s a winner! I haven’t tried other Cle de Peau foundation formulas in a long time so I can’t compare, but I really like this matte one.
Side notes: Cle de Peau also added new shades of the Concealer Stick and Radiant Corrector for Eyes. I ordered both in one of the new shades Buff which is a good match for concealing. I still like Ocher for some brightening on my skin tone. I will have a separate and more detailed review on this in an upcoming foundation roundup. For now I hope this helps you!
9. Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt Cologne is one of my favorite perfumes! It’s a unique unisex scent that has a mix of ambrette, sea salt and sage. It’s hard for me to describe but it’s the best year-round scent I own. I own it in multiple sizes in the 100 ml size and 50 ml size because I love it so much. The minis are harder to find but you can find it in a Wood Sage Sea Salt + English Pear Duo or Wood Sage + Peony Blush Suede Duo at Sephora. If you wait until holiday they usually have 5-piece mini sets as well.
10. Le Labo Another 13 is one I bought in the Nordstrom Travel Spray Duo with Santal 33 and Another 13. As with most of their perfumes you can find it in a wide range of size options and sets. Another 13 is a musky mix of amber, moss and jasmine. For me it is another hard one to describe but it feels fresh and musk but not too powdery. If you’re hesitant about buying perfumes without smelling them and don’t have a store near you – they have some discovery set options on their Le Labo website. If you’re a Le Labo fan can you tell me if I need to try any of their city exclusives?
That wraps up my Top 10 this month! Let me know if you want another one for skin, hair or home. Would love to hear about what you’re loving right now. I hope you are all doing well and staying safe and sane. We are hanging in there!
Press samples have a * next to them. All other items purchased by me.
I’m rounding up a few of my summer beauty staples and favorites I’ve had in rotation lately. Even though we’re at home most of the time now having a routine to get dressed and put on some makeup helps keep me feeling more like myself and somewhat normal – even if it’s low key or super casual.
Summer Bases
For powder I will have a new updated roundup soon (my last Pressed and Loose Powder Roundup was in 2018! how time flies!). Right now I have a tie between the Charlotte Tilbury Airbrush Flawless Finish in Medium (always a favorite) and the new Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder in Honey*. It’s a new tinted setting powder with honey and yellow undertones. It leaves a soft satiny smooth matte for my medium tan skin, doesn’t have any flashback and lasts a long time.
For foundations and tinted moisturizers I recently shared my new Summer Base Edit in July reviewing new formulas. I do like to rotate but out of all the ones I’ve tried (new and go-to’s) my current top three right now are:
I love so many formulas for bronzer. It is hard to pick just one favorite but one formula that I’ve used for years is the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer. I prefer bronzing powders with a luminous shimmer (versus full matte) and the colors from Hourglass are frequently in rotation. Luminous Bronze Light and Radiant Bronze light are my favorites for the face, although if you’re fair they might turn orangey on your skin. In that case I would recommend you try Diffused Bronze Light or Nude Bronze Light as they have a different undertone. I will often use Diffused Bronze Light as an eyeshadow too.
I added a swatch of the new Ambient Lighting Infinity Powder which I can use as a soft all over glow powder (more on this in my powder roundup coming soon).
I feel like it’s been forever since I did a perfume review or roundup but some of you have been asking what I’ve been loving this summer so here are my top picks. Jo Malone Yuja Cologne is a citrus-lover’s dream come true. It’s a soft sweet citrus and limited-edition. I’m considering buying the larger bottle before it’s gone forever.
For the ultimate soft white floral with a hint of coconut Tom Ford Eau de Soleil Blanc has been a favorite for years. To me it’s similar to the classic Soleil Blanc, but right now I’m using the softer version.
My favorite citrus scent is the Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel in the Paris-Biarritz perfume. It has a mix of mandarin and lily for a softer citrus scent and to me is the perfect summer perfume. Since it’s warm and sunny most of the year in Florida I like this year round. (Mine shown is the travel size).
Jo Malone Wood Sage and Sea Salt is my year-round go to regardless of season. I think it works well for a unisex scent and is so unique to me. I try and get minis with GWPs anytime I can so I can carry one my purse. I also love their mini sets which is the best way to sample their perfumes to see which ones work best on your skin. The Jo Malone Cologne Collection Set from Nordstrom is a great value for the Anniversary Sale. Sephora has a Mini Discovery Set available too (smaller spritzers) and a few Mini Duos with Wood Sage + Sea Salt / Peony Blush Suede and Wood Sage + Sea Salt / English Pear and Freesia. I’ll link a few other sampler discovery sets in the widget at the bottom of the post.
Long-Wear Tan + Summer Lips
One thing I don’t use a lot of is self tanner. The Florida sun is enough to get a tan in just a few minutes even with sunscreen and being covered up. Still a lot of you have asked what a good self tanning product that doesn’t have a heavy scent and I always recommend the By Terry Tea to Tan*. You can use this on the face or chest and it doesn’t transfer on me. It’s really subtle – just spray on a brush and then buff it in anywhere you want a tan. It will wash off but when I use this it will last all day.
These days I have a love/hate relationship with lip products. It’s pretty annoying having to take off lipstick or gloss when you wear a mask outside. I still keep a balm or gloss with me in my purse out of habit. At home my favorite colors to wear are peaches or corals. I really love the Fenty Beauty Slip Shine in Tang Thang, Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath in Peachy Plump and the Sisley Le Phyto Lip Gloss in Paradise.
I’m going to have a roundup of my favorite accessories soon as some of you have asked for side by sides and more try-ons in a single post for easy reference. I cannot live without sunglasses in Florida and I do not understand how some people can go outside without wearing them! The sun is so bright here it’s almost blinding. We’ve been in Florida 3 and a half years now and I’ve found hats to be essential. In San Diego I rarely wore hats even though it’s still pretty sunny there.
Left: I bought the Brixton Lera Straw Fedora and the Small size works for my head which is 22 inches around. Medium also works (accidentally bought this one in my Nordstrom haul) but definitely feels a little loose. I don’t like hats too tight because I get a lot of hair breakage. My Celine 48 mm Cat Eye Sunglasses were a splurge in Miami last year and I really love them. For hair I’m never without the Slip Pure Silk Scrunchies. They don’t cause any breakage with my color-treated hair and don’t leave hair kinks when tied. I’m currently about 1/2 way there to growing out my highlights. My latest splurge you may have seen on stories are the Chloe Sandals. I ordered the white ones in a Size 7 which fit perfectly (I’m usually a 6.5 or 7 with narrow feet).
That wraps up my summer beauty staples roundup! Hope you found this helpful if you’re looking for any new perfumes or bronzers to try out. If you have any favorites you want to share please let me know in the comments!
Shop the post:
Press samples have a * next to them. Other items purchased by me.
I’m wrapping up the month with a Top 10 February Beauty Favorites roundup! It has been a challenging month for me since I was sick for quite some time. Having an allergic reaction to antibiotics was pretty scary, but I’m full recovered and optimistic next month will be much better! Here were this month’s best products.
The Chanel Le Blanc Rosy Light Drops* is one of the prettiest multi-tasking highlighters I’ve tried and I LOVE the packaging! This is a pale iridescent rose liquid cased in a pump style bottle. I was chatting with my friend about these last night and she asked what I thought, my response was she needed them in her life ASAP since she’s obsessed with glowing dewy skin. You can use these as a highlighter on top of foundation, mix it in with your base or wear alone all over underneath your foundation too. It adds a soft luminescent glow and has a very soft rose scent. Since I love this formula so much I’m tempted to order the Le Blanc Healthy Light Creator Oil to try too.
3) Cuyana Tech Case
I’ve been loving all the things I’ve ordered from Cuyana so far and the Tech Case has been a favorite for the size and shape. It’s longer but skinny so I find it fits in my tote easier than a rounded or domed makeup bag. It’s the perfect length and size to hold essentials and I love how it’s lined with leather in side. It’s held up remarkably well! I also love the Travel Set Case and the Vanity Case (this one seems to have been slightly changed in the design).
4) Estee Lauder x Danielle Lauder Act IV Spotlight Highlighter
Earlier this year I partnered with Estee Lauder to share a look at the Danielle Lauder Act IV Collection and my favorite item was the Spotlight Highlighter* for its lavender and golden honey swirl. When mixed it gives the prettiest soft glow and it has been in heavy rotation. I find it so unique for me and love layering it on top of just a bronzer or blush. I think it coordinates well with the Luxe Lip Cremes* in Reel Rose and Reel Coral as well, or both of them mixed together (I layer them on top of the Lip Balm for my perfect spring lip color).
5) Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer
So many of you have asked me for a review of the new Pat McGrath Skin Fetish Sublime Perfection Concealer* and it’s coming soon! I was sent a selection of colors and found LM12 (more peachy) and LM 13 (more yellow) to be a great match for my under eye area to brighten. It also works to spot conceal although it’s lighter than my skin tone and has a slight peachy undertone. My current foundation shade is Light Medium 14. I’ve ordered a few more concealer colors to try before I do a full review but so far this has been one of the best concealer formulas I’ve ever tried. It blends well, covers and smooths, doesn’t oxidize or budge and doesn’t crease. The Sublime Perfection Blurring Under Eye Powder* is amazing (and a must-have). I still need to play around with all the colors but Medium seems to be great for me.
Wearing LM 13 Concealer below: Right photo has a comparison with concealer on the left side vs right side of face bare to show you the coverage/brightening, no setting powder worn (although I do recommend using one), also shown with Dior Lip Glow in Rosewood, sweater from Vince
6) Estee Lauder x Danielle Lauder Act IV Brushed By Fame Makeup Brush Kit
Another favorite is the Mini Makeup Brush Set* which I pack in my makeup bag when I’m on the go. It’s perfect because it comes with a small flat pouch to keep the brushes protected. I can slip it into my tote or makeup bag and don’t have to worry about the brushes getting ruined or smashed because of the the little case.
7 through 10) Lips!
I had so many favorite lip products this month it was hard to narrow it all down. I really love the Marc Jacobs Re(cover) Hydrating Coconut Lip Oil is so nice on the lips and has a pleasant coconut scent to it. I bought mine from Sephora (currently sold out online) but it’s also available at Neiman Marcus. I highly recommend it. It’s smooth and not sticky.
Dior’s latest Lip Glow is the Rosewood color which I think is one of the best ones yet! It gives my lips a soft rosy glow (as shown in the photo above with the Pat McGrath concealer).
Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask is back and permanent. It’s one of my favorite lip treatments for dry lips. If you haven’t tried it I think it’s a must-have!
For lip plumpers, I’ve actually found two formulas that I really love this month. One I’ll be talking about next week. But one I wanted to mention now is the Charlotte Tilbury Collagen Lip Bath because it’s now available in their cult classic Pillow Talk shade! It’s a sheer nude pink with high shine and I love how glossy it looks.
That wraps up my Top 10! What were your favorites?
Press samples have a * next to them. Others purchased by me.
I cannot believe it’s holiday season and that the year has pretty much flown by. It still seems like it should be summer to me but the holidays are here whether I’m ready or not. Today’s post features my November Favorites with another giveaway at the end!
Favorites in Fragrance
1 – Diptyque Santal Candle has been one I’ve been burning since fall. I’ve gone through a few and it’s a beautiful warm sandalwood that gives all the cozy vibes. It’s my favorite sandalwood candle out there.
3 – Byredo is another fragrance favorite. The travel sprays are my favorites to carry in my purse. La Selection Boisee has three of my favorites. Black Saffron is the one Andrew likes the most on me (it’s a berry kind of scent, listed notes are notes of pomelo, saffron, juniper berry, black violet, accord cuir, cristal rose, blonde woods, raspberry and vetiver). One of my favorites is Mojave Ghost (described as a woody and aromatic scent with notes of ambrette, Jamaican nesberry, violet, sandalwood, magnolia, chantilly musk, crisp amber and cedarwood). I also really love Super Cedar for a more earthy scent (has rose petals, Virginian cedarwood, silk musk and Haitian vetiver). I think all three are super unique and beautiful.
4 – Diptyque Baies is my favorite scent from the Diptyque line. I’ve bought it in all forms and all candle sizes. The room spray is lovely if you live or work in a setting where you can’t burn candles.
6 – Sol de Janeiro just launched an unscented Brazilian Nude Cream which I ordered on launch day. I’m a huge fan of the Bum Bum Cream and Shower Cream-Gel which I usually order from Sephora but sometimes it’s nice to have a fragrance-free option. The Brazilian Nude Cream is currently exclusive to Sol de Janeiro’s website and they’ve started Cyber Monday early! Save 25% off orders $75 or more now through 12/2. I really love it and Andrew has been using it too. It’s thick (in a good way), hydrating, absorbs nicely and has a velvety dry down. To me it’s very similar to Kate Somerville’s Dry Skin Saver which I used to use but have not restocked in a while.
7 – Tatcha The Silk Peony Eye Cream* has been wonderful this in this dry weather for me. It’s hydrating and fills in fine lines under the eye that have been creeping up on me. It melts into the skin wonderfully and I highly recommend giving it a try if you want some extra moisture.
8 – Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist has been a favorite that’s made my “best of” list many times. It’s the one I travel the most frequently with for it’s super fine spritzer and a refreshing hydrating feel. It’s available in multiple size options, also in this 3-Piece Travel Set with special edition packaging if you want to be extra fancy.
Kosas Wet Lip Oils
9 – Kosas Wet Lip Oils* launched earlier in the month with five color options. They’re beautifully hydrating and have serious pigment for a lip treatment! I think all the colors are perfect. I’m partial to Dip and Malibu but every one is really phenomenal. They are hydrating but don’t feel like they’ll slide off. They’re also starting Black Friday early (full Black Friday roundup coming your way on the blog soon), save 20% on orders of $50+, 25% on orders of $75+, and 30% on orders over $100 (excludes gift cards).
Chanel Skincare and Bodycare
10 – Chanel Les Exclusifs line is so amazing. Their Fresh Body Cream has been a long time favorite I splurge on repeatedly. They just launched the Gentle Oil Hair and Body* and it is SO amazing. It comes in a large glass open top pour out bottle and has a very lightweight scent of citrus and white musk and jasmine just like the body cream version. I’ve been using it on the body and it’s the best body oil I’ve tried. I want to find a little dropper to use with it though. My skin has never been so soft!
14 – La Creme Main Le Lift has been in rotation this season. I love how it smoothes the hands and hydrates in a beautiful way. I like all the hand creams they’ve launched but this one is my favorite.
16 – Fenty Pro Filt’r Instant Retouch Concealer in 220* was sent for me to try along with a box of other goodies! I had previously been using 235 for spot concealing but it didn’t do much for brightening or under the eye. Using a lighter and warmer color in 220 has made a WORLD of difference for brightening under the eye. It’s creamy, opaque and blends easily. It doesn’t budge or cake on my skin either. Fenty for the win!
17 – Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Powder Glow* in Translucent and Medium Deep have been lovely for adding a bit of glow. I don’t use them as setting powders as the name suggests – it’s too glowy for all over, but I use them as a bronzer or highlighter and skin looks candlelit in the best way possible.
Storage Solutions
18 – I’ve been promising a beauty storage post for you and I still have one coming! I have accumulated several different acrylic storage units and my favorite one to date is the Original Beauty Box. I just bought the smaller Original Beauty Box size (shown in this post) which measures 10 deep x 7 wide by 9.5 inches tall. It fits on my Ikea Billy Bookcase shelves and also works for the top of my bathroom counter. I have 3 of the larger Deluxe Beauty Boxes which store more (and also fit taller compacts) which I also like and still use, but having the smaller one is easier to fit on my desk, on a shelf or on the bathroom counter. You can see more photos of the larger ones in my old loft tour post here.
I plan on doing an updated storage post and will do my best to do it before end of year with comparisons, side by sides, pros and cons of everything I use.
Bite Beauty
19 – I bought the Bite Creamy Color 4-Piece Mini Amuse Bouche Supercharged Lipstick Set from Sephora last month and it’s so cute! It has four new colors and when I put it on stories several readers asked me if it was the original or new formula. I had no idea there was a “new” formula but readers pointed out that the entire Amuse Bouche Lipstick line had been discounted online at Sephora, shades have been pulled as they sell out and that it was rumored that this was a preview of a new formula. I don’t have any news or info but it appears that many of you are beauty super sleuths! I just checked the Bite Beauty section at Sephora and so many things have been marked down including the Agave Lip Mask, Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipstick, etc. I wonder if it’s because items are going to be reformulated or repackaged or both.
The colors in the 4 piece set seem creamier and with a more glossy finish compared to the original Amuse Bouche, but the texture does feel very similar. I can’t tell for sure if it’s different. I feel like they’re a little bit softer but am not sure if it’s because of the mini size bullets. They’re creamy, opaque, long wearing and rich. More on Temptalia – you can read her thoughts and see swatches in different lighting and on different skintone which I find super helpful.
Shop my November Favorites
That rounds up my November favorites! I’m doing another giveaway! One person will be selected to win all 5 of the Kosas Lip Oils (I have an extra set of all colors, brand new!). Not sponsored or affiliated. Simply enter through the widget.
Open internationally but you must be 18 years or older.
You must enter via ALL the steps in the widget below, partial entries will be disqualified.
Runs through 12/2/2019 11:45 PM EST.
ONE winner will be selected at random via the widget and contacted by me via email within 48 hours within giveaway ending.
I have a roundup of July favorites! I’ve included a mix of everything from makeup, skin, hair and a few accessories. We are slowly settling into our new place and we absolutely love everything about it – the house, the neighborhood, location etc.
Skin and Hair
Chanel Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream* is my favorite everyday lightweight moisturizer and has made it to the top of my list three months in a row, I love the lightweight feel and texture and packaging
Sisley Precious Hair Care Oil* is something I rediscovered this past month, it has helped restore moisture and shine to my dried out ends from the sand, salt water and chlorine
NARS Mini Wanted Eyeshadow Palette* is one that surprised me because I already own the original Wanted. Like many of you commented on my review, even though it’s super tiny this palette has been really convenient and perfect for a quick and easy polished eye look! (swatches here)
Lip Favorites
Pat McGrath LUST Gloss* in Peach Perversion and Faux Real are my top picks for her lip gloss for an effortless ultra smooth shine, I really think all her shades are amazing, especially the sparkle ones! (swatches here and here)
NARS Oil-Infused Lip Tint in Orgasm is the prettiest lip oil I own right now, it’s one that always gets compliments too! I absolutely think this is a must for everyone, it’s also available in a mini in this super cute Orgasm Mini Set (on my lips here)
Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb is the most versatile gloss I have, it goes with everything whether I wear it alone, with the Charlotte Tilbury Pillow Talk Lip Liner or on top of any lip color, you can see all three shades + beauty looks in this post here
Scent
Byredo Black Saffron is a sweet berry and black violet mix, I’ve been loving the minis I have and think I’m going to splurge on the full size again!
Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel in Biarritz (travel size) is a purse-friendly size of the Chanel Les Eaux perfumes, this one is the lightest and softest citrus, perfect for Florida weather – you can find the three original ones in the minis on Chanel.com and a Le Voyage Set as well
Chanel Les Eaux de Chanel in Riviera* is the latest addition to the Les Eaux line, if you love citrus you’ll really love this one! It has a little more punch and kick to it compared to the Biarritz, to me Riviera smells like a spa scent!
The most frequently asked question I receive DAILY (yes daily!) is “what polish are you wearing?” – even on old photos from years ago. If you want to know my top 5, there’s a good chance I’m wearing one of these shades. This month’s favorites:
Essie Topless and Barefoot has been one of my go-to neutral colors but I could never get Essie to last more than a day on me until I tried the Essie Speed Setter Top Coat. It seems like other brands of top coats aren’t compatible with Essie and cause major shrinkage (at least in my experience). With any nail brand I usually recommend you stick with the same brand for base/color/top.
Tory Burch Perry Mini Bombe Bag in Black has been in such heavy rotation I decided to order a second one in Perfect Sand and I absolutely love it! The sand one is exclusive to Toryburch.com right now. You can see the full review + OOTD look here. The material is also available in a Small Tote and 13-Inch Laptop Tote size (both have also been on my radar).
Tory Burch Gemini Link Canvas Bag is another one I’ve had on my radar for a couple months now, I was torn between the Light Umber and Ivory/Blue color. I opted for the neutral tan and also love this. It’s slightly larger/taller than the Perry Mini and has one open compartment versus the separated zipper sections. Since it’s taller and more open inside I feel like it can fit more things easily. The material is really sturdy and looks like it will hold up well. If you can’t do mini bags this also comes in a Tote Version.
Chloe Mini Marcie – I still love this one! I love all things mini, this one is going to be a favorite for a long time to come. Review here.
What were your favorites this month?
Press samples have a * next to them. All other items purchased by me.
May flew by so quickly! I feel like I blinked and the weeks literally passed by in minutes. I’m rounding up this month’s hits and misses in beauty. I have a little bit of everything from skincare, hair care, complexion products and other makeup items.
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Chanel Favorites
I’ve loved a lot of new launches from Chanel this month. They’ve been on a roll with new releases in makeup, skincare and fragrance. My favorites:
CC Cream with SPF 50 * is my favorite CC cream with medium coverage, I wear either shade 30 or 40 (application and review here)
Le Vernis in Afterglow, Open Air and Purple Ray* from cruise are the prettiest ones I think I’ve seen in a while from Chanel, I’m really loving the purples! (swatches here)
Rouge Coco Flash (my picks here, cruise colors swatched here) are among my most-worn for an effortless swipe and go kind of lip color
Hydra Beauty Camellia Water Cream* is probably my favorite moisturizer of the month, it has a lightweight texture and adds hydration and leaves the skin feeling softly refreshed and glowing, it works well with their foundations and after using this regularly skin feels more radiant and plump
L’Eau Micellar Water* is a new launch from Chanel, it’s a cleansing water that has a soft refreshing feel to it, it’s alcohol-free and gentle, it is scented similar to their Hydra Beauty line but isn’t irritating or overpowering, I use this as a first step for cleansing
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Hair Care Hits and Misses
I’m on my third round of highlights and for some reason this time my hair has been so high maintenance. I feel the strong sun, salty ocean water, hard water plus beach time has been giving my hair so much grief. I’ve tried a number of shampoos and conditioners for color treated hair, most have been mediocre at best for color maintenance. I finally found something I love:
Hits include:
Kerastase Blond Absolu line has been overall one of the best for me to maintain highlights for me. I’ve tried three things from the line so far including the Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo (I use this 1x per week and leave on for a few minutes), I use the Hydrating Illuminating Shampoo almost daily to cleanse and I’ve been loving the Strengthening Ciccaflash Conditioner. All three lather well and rinse even in Florida water.
Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream* has been a life saver for dry hair, I can’t rave about this enough! It hydrates, conditions and reduces frizz.
P.S. I’m still loving Olaplex (review here) – it’s great but for me it’s more for strengthening versus for color-maintenance.
Misses
Kerastase Reflection Sulfate Free Shampoo and Reflection Conditioner were recommended to me by a friend, she swore by it! I kept using both until they were finished, but these were among the worst for me. I suspect it just does not work with Florida water. They would not lather well or rinse easily and they did nothing to maintain or protect color.
Oribe also came highly recommended. I really love their styling products so I am so sad to report that their Bright Blonde Shampoo and Shampoo for Beautiful Color did not work for me. I also used their corresponding conditioners when testing. The blonde one left my hair on the stringy side and the beautiful color option did not rinse well. I feel like their Gold Lust formula is far superior and I still love the Cleansing Cream. The color shampoos + conditioners (and mask) were an expensive miss for my hair.
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Most-Worn Nail Polishes
(also the ones asked about the most!)
I rotate nail polishes quite frequently but these are my most-worn polishes. Anytime I have my hand showing on Instagram, stories, blog posts I get tons of questions about what I’m wearing. I try to list and label them as much as possible, these are the ones that get the most questions:
I feel like right now everything is still focused on getting that healthy glow. This month was filled with so many hits! I will have a full bronzer/glow post coming up soon, for now the best ones I tried this month:
Fenty Beauty Sun Stalk’r Bronzer in Shady Biz is the best matte bronze for my skin tone right now, I also tried the Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter in Afternoon Snack/Mo’ Hunny and am so impressed by how smooth and beautiful the shimmer is (review soon)
Also wanted to mention that a new favorite base combo is the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt’r Primer + Soft Matte Foundation, the trick to getting this look smooth is using the primer with the foundation, my match is 235, it stays on all day, doesn’t oxidize too much (warms up just a little after it dries) and looks flawless!
Dior Addict Stellar Shine in D-Galaxy – hauled this during the Sephora sale and it swatched so pretty on my hand, on my lips it’s a very slippery oily feeling glittery mess, perhaps the other colors are better, this one did not work for me!
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Skincare Hits and Misses
I’ve had so many issues with sunscreens this year on the face and body. I am testing one more formula and then I’m done and will most likely stick with my go-to’s. I can’t deal with the recovery time for allergic reactions. Right now my arms and legs are covered with bumps from my last test. It’s been a painful week for me. I just discovered that some sunscreens will cause a reaction when exposed to sunlight. I’ve also had ones that I’ve had an allergy to just from testing indoors. Full sunscreen post as soon as I’m done testing this one last formula (for those curious I’m testing out a couple from EltaMD).
The biggest misses:
Kopari Sundaze Mineral Sunscreen with SPF 30 – some people say that mineral is better than chemical for those with sensitive skin. I’ve tried both types and for me there’s really no guarantee because there are other ingredients to take into account. I’m not entirely sure what caused a reaction in this one, but it left a white cast on my face and within a couple hours tiny red bumps started to appear. Even after washing off it left my skin bumpy everywhere and it took a solid week for my face to go back to normal.
Neutrogena Hydroboost Water Gel Lotion with SPF 50 worked amazingly on my face when I tested it so I thought I found a winner. The day I tested it I was indoors the entire day and had no issues. Our next beach trip I applied it on my arms and legs (rest of my face/body I had something else on to test/compare). By the time we got back home my arms and legs started to develop swelling spots. They turned into red bumps everywhere. It does contain oxybenzone which I suspect could be the culprit for my allergy when exposed to direct sun, but I’ve tried Neutrogena formulas before and never had issues. As I’m writing this post my arms and legs are still recovering.
The hits:
Tatcha Silken Pore Perfecting Sunscreen is one of my favorites that won’t irritate my face. It also lasts long on my skin and doesn’t leave a white cast. Since it does adhere well to the face I recommend you be extra thorough with cleansing to fully remove it.
Tatcha Dewy Skin Cream* has been really nice as my skin has felt dry for months with the air conditioning I’m in constantly. It has a nice rich texture that is surprisingly not too heavy for my skin type.
Farmacy Beauty Better Daze Ahead* is the first CBD cream I’ve been able to tolerate the scent of. It still has an earthy kind of scent but it’s not overpowering like other CBD infused creams. It has a lightweight feel and was one of the few creams I could use post-sunscreen allergic reaction without having my face feel like it was on fire. It really did work to help moisturize and calm down my skin.
Rodin Luxury Face Cream* is a new launch that is an oil-infused cream for dry skin. I’ve found it pleasantly soothing and hydrating. It does have scent to it but it’s not irritating and smells like licorice and flowers mixed together. It has a lot of different oils mixed in so if you’re sensitive to oils you may want to try or patch test first. I’ve had no irritation issues and will keep on using this!
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That wraps up this month’s hits and misses! Would love to hear what you loved or didn’t like in the beauty world recently. Let me know in the comments!
Press samples have a * next to them. Other items purchased by me.
